Jacqueline Pizzolon Gail Benick/Mike Jones CCT 205 5 February 2009 Sexist Lyrical Content Within the Music of Contemporary Popular Culture As a young teenager, I was not the most confident person in the world not unlike many young girls wandering the malls and high school hallways of the Greater Toronto Area. Although I came from a stable, loving family who raised me according to good moral values, there was another influence in my life that taught me each time I turned on the television or the radio. During this technological upbringing I learned and viewed things that were not appropriate for school and things that my parents would not bother to mention. I was learning how to be a woman, not through my parents, but through the music I listened to and the musically associated images I saw on the television. It was noticeable that I was not the only girl out there that was using these mediums as an influential upbringing device. When a girl makes fun of you because you don’t have the latest fashions seen on the women dancing in music videos or the new Spice Girls CD, then it is worthwhile to assume that music has much more of an influence on a person than originally thought. Pop music and other mainstream forms remain the most sought after music, perhaps because it receives much airplay, backed by mass amounts of money, and is in demand from consumers. According to Statistics Canada, in Fall of 2007, teens aged 12-17 both male and female are listening to contemporary styles of music, at a percentage of 27.3 %, which is highest ranking for all formats of music presented (Statistics Canada). The second highest was adult-contemporary with a listening percentage of 25.1% (Statistics Canada).Also in comparison between men and women 18 and over, women continue to listen to adult-contemporary at the highest rank of 27.8%, while males were only listening to adult-contemporary on the radio at 17.3% which was not the highest ranking of all formats of music males listened to (Statistics Canada).It is evident that women are definitely listening to current popular music. The types of music categorized as adult-contemporary are unfortunately carriers of degrading lyrics and pre women’s rights stereotypical sexist notions and messages. The shocking thing is that not only do male artists perpetuate sexist lyrics while objectifying women, but females represent and degrade themselves constantly within the music characteristic of pop culture. The lyrics of “My Humps” performed by the Black Eyed Peas, being a hit song had airplay across radio stations in Canada, played in clubs all over Toronto and heard on television. The lyrics to this song clearly degrade and objectify the singer herself as a sex object. They say I'm really sexy, The boys they wanna sex me. They always standing next to me, Always dancing next to me, Tryin' a feel my hump, hump. Lookin' at my lump, lump. You can look but you can't touch it, If you touch it I'ma start some drama, You don't want no drama, No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama So don't pull on my hand boy, You ain't my man, boy, I'm just tryn'a dance boy, And move my hump. (Black Eyed Peas 2005) Lyrics such as these are assumed to be an appropriate representation of women for young minds who are still growing. The lyrics in the songs played over the radio should serve to educate young girls about themselves, not to degrade themselves making them a victim of the male sexual gaze. Another song with degrading lyrics that has been discussed with much controversy over online forums is, “Cater 2 U” written by three female members of adult-contemporary R&B group Destiny’s Child as an example, the song represents a women as the male pleasing, passive stereotypical entity in which women worldwide have strived to overcome. With lyrics such as, I Got Your Slippers, Your Dinner, Your Dessert, And So Much More Anything You Want Just Let Me Cater To You… …Let Me Help You Take Off Your Shoes Untie Your Shoestrings Take Off Your Cufflinks (Yeah) What You Want To Eat Boo? (Yeah) Let Me Feed You Let Me Run Your Bathwater Whatever You Desire, I'll Aspire… …Fulfill Your Every Desire (Desire) Your Wish Is My Command (Command) I Want To Cater To My Man. (Destiny’s Child 2005) These snippets of pieces from the lyrics, promote the stereotypes such as, the stay at home mom, who takes care of the children and men in their lives, catering to the male ego. Women have worked extremely hard against this type of stereotype to pursue careers and get an education, so that equality was foreseen in their future. Is this representation of equality amongst males and females? The notions of being a servant or cater to someone could possibly be a step backwards. The lines in the song that seem to carry most of the controversial appeal are, I Promise You (Promise You) I'll Keep Myself Up (Oh) Remain The Same Chick (Yeah) You Fell In Love With (Yeah) I'll Keep It Tight, I'll Keep My Figure Right I'll Keep My Hair Fixed, Keep Rocking The Hottest Outfits When You Come Home Late Tap Me On My Shoulder, I'll Roll Over Baby I Heard You, I'm Here To Serve You (I'm Lovin It, I'm Lovin It). (Destiny’s Child, 2005) The lyrics could indeed encourage and put pressure on young girls to follow the latest trends in media with fashion and even promote superficial views of women such as, looking like a celebrity with the perfect hair, clothing and body. For further reference, the full lyrics along with comments and other opinions about this song’s potentially sexist lyrics have been discussed on this forum. (http://forums.yellowworld.org/archive/index.php/t-24690.html) Is being sexist a form of self-expression? Could it be that this type of lyrical content is just for fun. People often say that lyrics don’t matter and it’s the beat that counts or the song is just to dance to. Lyrics do matter to the vulnerable listeners and young women viewers whose minds are malleable who are still discovering who they are. It is possible to demand more from the artists, radio stations and the recording industries who shape the minds of women, but will they really listen? There is no doubt that women have come very far throughout these past few decades. At best we have achieved status and equality throughout the work force, within the family as well as socially and politically with the right to vote. It is evident that with these accomplishments, women are assumed as being treated equally in all cases. With all this so-called equality and status, why does the media, artists, and record companies continue to perpetuate sexist images and negative stereotypes across all mediums but in particular, music?Better yet, why do the artists, directors of music videos and lyrical writers constantly continue to contribute to the endless archive of sexist images and lyrics that in this present time continue to exceed the limit of what is appropriate representation of women in music. Works Cited "Black Eyed Peas – My Humps Lyrics." Lyrics. 1 Feb. 2009 <http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/My-Humps-lyrics-Black-Eyed-Peas/A03069D1CAEDF1A14825701 Black Eyed Peas. “My Humps.” Monkey Business. A&M, 2005.
"Cater 2 U - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 3 Feb. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat "Destiny's Child song - "Cater 2 U" [Archive] - Yellowworld Forums." Yellowworld Forums. 1 Feb. 2009 <http://forums.yellowworld.org/archive/index.php/t-24690.html>. Destiny’s Child. “Cater 2 U.” Destiny Fulfilled. Columbia, 2005. "Radio listening time by format and age group." Statistics Canada. 1 Feb. 2009 <http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/arts17-eng.htm>. "QOTD Do you think there is sexism in music in QOTD Forum 65 page 7 - Buzznet." Music Community Band photos music videos journals and interviews - Buzznet. 2 Feb. 2009 <http://www.buzznet.com/groups/qotd/forum/topics/405401/qotd-you-think-sexism-music/?p=6#freplies>. “starlorsummers: 01/09/2009 2:51 PM yup. girls in music are definitely judged more on their looks than on talent. most popular female musicians are good looking (or were when they were younger), but there are tons of popular guy musicians who look like they got whacked in the face with the ugly stick.” starlorsummers. "QOTD Do you think there is sexism in music in QOTD Forum 65 page 7 - Buzznet." Music Community Band photos music videos journals and interviews - Buzznet. 4 Feb. 2009 <http://www.buzznet.com/groups/qotd/forum/topics/405401/qotd-you-think-sexism-music/?p=6#freplies>.
Gail Benick/Mike Jones
CCT 205
5 February 2009
Sexist Lyrical Content Within the Music of Contemporary Popular Culture
As a young teenager, I was not the most confident person in the world not unlike many young girls wandering the malls and high school hallways of the Greater Toronto Area. Although I came from a stable, loving family who raised me according to good moral values, there was another influence in my life that taught me each time I turned on the television or the radio. During this technological upbringing I learned and viewed things that were not appropriate for school and things that my parents would not bother to mention. I was learning how to be a woman, not through my parents, but through the music I listened to and the musically associated images I saw on the television. It was noticeable that I was not the only girl out there that was using these mediums as an influential upbringing device. When a girl makes fun of you because you don’t have the latest fashions seen on the women dancing in music videos or the new Spice Girls CD, then it is worthwhile to assume that music has much more of an influence on a person than originally thought.
Pop music and other mainstream forms remain the most sought after music, perhaps because it receives much airplay, backed by mass amounts of money, and is in demand from consumers. According to Statistics Canada, in Fall of 2007, teens aged 12-17 both male and female are listening to contemporary styles of music, at a percentage of 27.3 %, which is highest ranking for all formats of music presented (Statistics Canada). The second highest was adult-contemporary with a listening percentage of 25.1% (Statistics Canada). Also in comparison between men and women 18 and over, women continue to listen to adult-contemporary at the highest rank of 27.8%, while males were only listening to adult-contemporary on the radio at 17.3% which was not the highest ranking of all formats of music males listened to (Statistics Canada). It is evident that women are definitely listening to current popular music. The types of music categorized as adult-contemporary are unfortunately carriers of degrading lyrics and pre women’s rights stereotypical sexist notions and messages. The shocking thing is that not only do male artists perpetuate sexist lyrics while objectifying women, but females represent and degrade themselves constantly within the music characteristic of pop culture.
The lyrics of “My Humps” performed by the Black Eyed Peas, being a hit song had airplay across radio stations in Canada, played in clubs all over Toronto and heard on television. The lyrics to this song clearly degrade and objectify the singer herself as a sex object.
They say I'm really sexy,
The boys they wanna sex me.
They always standing next to me,
Always dancing next to me,
Tryin' a feel my hump, hump.
Lookin' at my lump, lump.
You can look but you can't touch it,
If you touch it I'ma start some drama,
You don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
So don't pull on my hand boy,
You ain't my man, boy,
I'm just tryn'a dance boy,
And move my hump.
(Black Eyed Peas 2005)
Lyrics such as these are assumed to be an appropriate representation of women for young minds who are still growing. The lyrics in the songs played over the radio should serve to educate young girls about themselves, not to degrade themselves making them a victim of the male sexual gaze.
Another song with degrading lyrics that has been discussed with much controversy over online forums is, “Cater 2 U” written by three female members of adult-contemporary R&B group Destiny’s Child as an example, the song represents a women as the male pleasing, passive stereotypical entity in which women worldwide have strived to overcome. With lyrics such as,
I Got Your Slippers, Your Dinner, Your Dessert, And So Much More
Anything You Want Just Let Me Cater To You…
…Let Me Help You
Take Off Your Shoes
Untie Your Shoestrings
Take Off Your Cufflinks (Yeah)
What You Want To Eat Boo? (Yeah)
Let Me Feed You
Let Me Run Your Bathwater
Whatever You Desire, I'll Aspire…
…Fulfill Your Every Desire (Desire)
Your Wish Is My Command (Command)
I Want To Cater To My Man.
(Destiny’s Child 2005)
These snippets of pieces from the lyrics, promote the stereotypes such as, the stay at home mom, who takes care of the children and men in their lives, catering to the male ego. Women have worked extremely hard against this type of stereotype to pursue careers and get an education, so that equality was foreseen in their future. Is this representation of equality amongst males and females? The notions of being a servant or cater to someone could possibly be a step backwards. The lines in the song that seem to carry most of the controversial appeal are,
I Promise You (Promise You)
I'll Keep Myself Up (Oh)
Remain The Same Chick (Yeah)
You Fell In Love With (Yeah)
I'll Keep It Tight, I'll Keep My Figure Right
I'll Keep My Hair Fixed, Keep Rocking The Hottest Outfits
When You Come Home Late Tap Me On My Shoulder, I'll Roll Over
Baby I Heard You, I'm Here To Serve You (I'm Lovin It, I'm Lovin It).
(Destiny’s Child, 2005)
The lyrics could indeed encourage and put pressure on young girls to follow the latest trends in media with fashion and even promote superficial views of women such as, looking like a celebrity with the perfect hair, clothing and body. For further reference, the full lyrics along with comments and other opinions about this song’s potentially sexist lyrics have been discussed on this forum.
(http://forums.yellowworld.org/archive/index.php/t-24690.html)
Is being sexist a form of self-expression? Could it be that this type of lyrical content is just for fun. People often say that lyrics don’t matter and it’s the beat that counts or the song is just to dance to. Lyrics do matter to the vulnerable listeners and young women viewers whose minds are malleable who are still discovering who they are.
It is possible to demand more from the artists, radio stations and the recording industries who shape the minds of women, but will they really listen? There is no doubt that women have come very far throughout these past few decades. At best we have achieved status and equality throughout the work force, within the family as well as socially and politically with the right to vote. It is evident that with these accomplishments, women are assumed as being treated equally in all cases. With all this so-called equality and status, why does the media, artists, and record companies continue to perpetuate sexist images and negative stereotypes across all mediums but in particular, music? Better yet, why do the artists, directors of music videos and lyrical writers constantly continue to contribute to the endless archive of sexist images and lyrics that in this present time continue to exceed the limit of what is appropriate representation of women in music.
Works Cited
"Black Eyed Peas – My Humps Lyrics." Lyrics. 1 Feb. 2009 <http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/My-Humps-lyrics-Black-Eyed-Peas/A03069D1CAEDF1A14825701
Black Eyed Peas. “My Humps.” Monkey Business. A&M, 2005.
"Cater 2 U - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 3 Feb. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat
"Destiny's Child song - "Cater 2 U" [Archive] - Yellowworld Forums." Yellowworld Forums. 1 Feb. 2009 <http://forums.yellowworld.org/archive/index.php/t-24690.html>.
Destiny’s Child. “Cater 2 U.” Destiny Fulfilled. Columbia, 2005.
"Radio listening time by format and age group." Statistics Canada. 1 Feb. 2009 <http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/arts17-eng.htm>.
"QOTD Do you think there is sexism in music in QOTD Forum 65 page 7 - Buzznet." Music Community Band photos music videos journals and interviews - Buzznet. 2 Feb. 2009 <http://www.buzznet.com/groups/qotd/forum/topics/405401/qotd-you-think-sexism-music/?p=6#freplies>.
“starlorsummers: 01/09/2009 2:51 PM
yup. girls in music are definitely judged more on their looks than on talent. most popular female musicians are good looking (or were when they were younger), but there are tons of popular guy musicians who look like they got whacked in the face with the ugly stick.”
starlorsummers. "QOTD Do you think there is sexism in music in QOTD Forum 65 page 7 - Buzznet." Music Community Band photos music videos journals and interviews - Buzznet. 4 Feb. 2009 <http://www.buzznet.com/groups/qotd/forum/topics/405401/qotd-you-think-sexism-music/?p=6#freplies>.